Stamp-canceling machine



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STAMP GANGBLING MACHINE. 1 No. 521,565. Patented June 19, 1894.

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STAMP GANGBLING MAGHINB.

No. 521,565. Patented Jun 19, 1894.

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STAMP GANGBLING MACHINE.

Patented June 19, 1894.

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FRANK N. ETHRIDGE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN POSTAL MACHINES COMPANY, OF MAINE.

SCTAIVI P-CANCELING MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,565, dated J' une 19, 1894.

Application filed November 5, 1892. Serial No. 451,056. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern-.-

Beit known that I, FRANK N. ETHRIDGE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stam p-Canceling Ma- 1c hlnes, of which the following is a specicaion.

This invention relates to that class of stampcanceling machines, in which a conveyer, consisting of an endless belt, is employed to move the letters endwise to the pointwhere they are acted on by the die cylinder and an impression-roll cooperating therewith.

The invention has for vits chief object to provide means for arresting each letter in its forward movement just before it reaches the printing position, and for releasing the letter the same.

and permitting the resumption of its forward movement when the die of the die cylinder is 1n the proper position.

.The invention also has for its object to prov1de various improvements in the construcltion of the machine whereby the rapidity of lts operation and its general efficiency may be increased.

To these ends, the invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication: Figure 1 represents atop plan view of astamp-canceling machine embodying myimprovements, portions of the machine being broken away. Fig. 2 represents a top View of partsv of the mechanism shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a top view of a portion of the machine, showing the position of the die cylinder and impression-roll when a letter is being printed. Fig. 4 represents a detached top view of one of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a side View of a portion of the impression-roll and the mechanism that supports Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6-'6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 represents an edge view of the part shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7a represents a top view of another of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 represents a perspective View of a portion of the machine. Fig. 9

represents a section on line 9-9, Fig. 3, looking toward the left. Fig. 10 represents a section on line 10-10, of Fig. 3. Fig. l1 represents a seotionon line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

The samelet-ters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings: a represents the supporting-bed or table of the machine, on which is located a horizontal letter-receiving throat a', having at its bottom an endless belt or conveyer b, mounted upon pulleys below the table a, and driven by any suitable mechanism, the upper portion of the belt being substantially flush with the upper surface of the table a and constituting a traveling bottom for the 'throat a', the movement of the belt being as indicated by the arrow marked thereon in Fig. 1.

c represents the die cylinder, which is provided on its periphery with a printing die,

adapted to make the desired impression upon the letter or other piece of mail matter passed through the machine. The die cylinder c is affixed to a vertical shaft c2, which is rotated by a suitable connection with the drivingshaft of the machine, the said shaft being journaled in fixed bearings.

d represents an impression-roll, which is loosely mounted upon a stud d', and is movable toward and from the periphery of the die cylinder, the means whereby the impression-roll is enabled to move as described be-v ing here shown as an arm d2, having at one end a bearing d3 for the stud d', and affixed at its other end to a vertical stud d4, which is adapted to run in a bearing in the table a, and is provided with a helical spring d5, one end of which is axed to a collar on said rod, and the other end to the table, said spring acting to normally press the impression-roll toward the die cylinder, permitting said roll to be moved away from the die cylinder.

Automatic mechanism is provided, as hereinafter described, whereby the impressionroll is normally held out of contact with the periphery of the die cylinder when there is nothing between said die cylinder and the impressionroll, the impression roll being moved towardthe die cylinder and caused to co-operate with the latter in grasping and feedinga letter that is introduced between the impression-roll and die cylinder.

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e represents a stop, which acts to arrest each letter at a given point in the throat a and hold the letter until the impression die on the die cylinder reaches the proper point in its revolution to make an impression upon the letter at the proper distance from its advancing end.

I have provided automatic mechanism, which acts, when the die cylinder reaches the proper position for effecting an impression upon the letter, to first remove the stop from its operative position, and thus permit the letter to advance between the die cylinder and the impression-roll, and then to move the impression-roll toward the die cylinder, and thus cause it to co-operate with the latter in grasping and feeding forward tlieletter which is at the same time printed by the die cylinder. Said mechanism may be variously modied in construction, and, while my invention is not limited to the .particular organization of said mechanism here shown, I will describe the same as the best embodiment of my invention of which I am at present aware.

f represents a disk, formed on a vertical shaftf, which extends through the table a, said disk having a cam-groove f2.

f3 represents a driver in the form of a lever, which is mounted to oscillate upon the shaft f', and is provided at one end with a trundleroll f, engaging a cani-groove f5, affixed to a horizontal shaft ff', which is joiirnaled in bearings attached to the table a, and is continuously rotated by the power of the machine, through suitable gearing.

f7 represents a shoe, affixed to a slide fs, which is fitted to movev lengthwise upon the lever f3, said slide having dove-tail ears 2 2, embracing the beveled edges of the lever f3, as shown in Fig. 6. The slide fs is provided with a trundle-roll ff), which enters the camgroove f2. One end of the lever f3 is provided with an arched standard or goose-neck fm, which extends across the space through which the letters pass in emerging from the throat a', each letter passing through the arch formed by the standard f1". To said standard is pivoted at f12 a curved lever f, having at one end a plate f1, arranged opposite the shoe f7, the other end of the lever f13 being loosely connected with a stud f1, which is vertically movable in a bearing formed on the lever f3, and has at its lower end a trundleroll f16 (Fig. 10).

The letter-stop e is supported by an arm or lever g, which is pivoted at 7i to fixed supporting ears, and is adapted to swing horizon tally. The lever g is provided with a rib or fiange g on its upper side, adapted to be engaged as hereinafter described with the trundle-roll f1, said trundle-roll giving' the lever g a motion in one direction when the lever f 3 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. The lever f3 is provided with a tiundle-roll f17 (Fig. 10), which bears on the opposite side of the rib g', and gives another movement to the lever g when the lever f3 is moved in the opposite direction. .'Ihe truudle-roll f1G is normally held by a springflff in an elevated postion,out of engagement with therib g', and is depressed into position to engage said rib by the outward pressure of the shoe f 7 upon a letter interposed between said shoe and the plate f 14 when said shoe is moved outwardly or towaid the die cylinder. There is therefore no movement of the lever g and of the letter-stop e supported by said lever, until a letter comes between the shoe f7 and plate fm. The lever g is provided with a rack segment g2, which meshes Witha pinion g3 affixed to a vertical shaft g4, which is journaled in a fixed bearing on the table a, and has at its lower end a cam g5 (Figs. 2 and 8), which is located in a slot gG in an arm g7, affixed to the arm or lever d2 which supports the impression-roll d. The office of said cam g5 is to alternately hold the impression-roll away from the die cylinder, which it accomplishes by beariii g on the outer end of the slot r, and permit the impressionroll to move toward the die cylinder, which it accomplishes by receding from the outer end of said slot.

The operation of the mechanism above described is as follows: The letters are dropped into the throat d edgewise by an attendant, and each letter is carried forward endwise by the belt l) toward the stop e. Said stop, being normally projected across the path in which the letters are advanced on their way to the acting portions of the die cylinder and impression-roll, arrests each letter before it can reach the die cylinder. The shoe f7 is given a regular back and forth motion toward and from the plate f1, by means of the cam-groove f2 and slide f 8, the movements of said shoe being timed, so that the shoe moves forward and presses the letter against the trundle-roll-depressing plate f 1t just as the die on the die cylinder is approaching its operative position. The pressure of theletter against the plate f1 causes the depression of the trundle-roll f16 through thelever f 13, as above described. At the same time, the lever f3 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, by means'of thecam-groove f 5, said motion causing the shoe and plate,which now grasp tlieletter, to move the letter positively forward be tween the die cylinder and impression-roll, and at the same time causing the depressed trundie-roll f1G to act on the rib g', and thus move the lever g and the letter-stop e away from the die cylinder, as shown in Fig. 3, said stop being therefore removed from the path of the letter at the same time that the letter is moved forward by the shoe f7 and plate f. The saine movement of the leverg causes its rack segment g2 to rotate the shaft g4 and cam g5 sufficiently to cause the movement of the impression-roll toward the die cylinder, as above described, said moveineut occurring so that the letter is grasped by the iinpression-roll and the die cylinder just as it reaches a point in line with the axes of said IDO IZO

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roll and cylinder. The impression roll remains in its forward position until it has cooperated with the die cylinder in feeding the letter ont from between the impression-roll and die cylinder, after which the lever g and letter-stop e are returned to the positions shown in Figi, and the impression-roll is withdrawn from the die cylinder by the action of the cam g5 on the outer end of the slot gs. It will be scen,therefore, that each letter is timed as to its entrance between the impression-roll and die cylin der by a stop, which is normally projected across the letter path, and is withdrawn automatically when the die of the die cylinder has reached the proper position for making its impression upon the letter, the letter being positively moved forward and presented to the die cylinder and impression-roll just as said parts come together to grasp the letter. It will also be seen that the impression-roll will not approach the die cylinder unless caused to do so by the approach of a letter; hence there is no liability of the impression-roll beinginked by contact with the die cylinder when there is nothingbetween said roll and die cylinder.

The shoef7, as already stated, is continuously oscillated, and at the same time moved continuously toward and from theletter path by the power of the machine, and is timed so that it moves toward the letter path just as the die is approaching its printing position. Said shoe and the mechanism that operates it therefore constitute acontinuously-operating part or division of a two-part mechanism for displacing the letter-stop e, the other part or'divlsion of said mechanism comprising the plate f, the trundle-r`ollf16, and the connections between said plate and trundle-roll whereby the trundle-roll is engaged with a part of the first-mentioned division of the operating mechanism when a letter is arrested by the stop.

It is obvious that a two-part mechanism otherwise organized and having one part continuously operated by the power of the machine and the other part made operative through the agency of a letter, may be substituted for the mechanism here shown without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

'Ihe throat or hopper a. is provided at one side with an inclined or diagonal wall a2, which is arranged to deflect the forward end of a letter, and throw said end over toward the die cylinder. The opposite side of the throat or hopper is oifset at a3, the oset portion being intended to receive the rear end of the letter, when the same is thrown over by the forward movement ofthe shoe f7, whereby a following letter is prevented from entering between the offset side of the throat and the preceding letter.

By providing an automaticallyoperated stop, and means for displacing each letter sidewise when it reaches said stop, I am enabled to drive the carrying belt b at a much more rapid rate than has been feasible herey tofore, it being found practicable to drive the motion to the die cylinder, the cam f2 and the f cam f5 throngh'suitable connections, said connections being mainly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The connections between the driving-shaft and the die cylinder comprise a shaft `12, khavin'g at one end a bevel gear 13, meshing with a bevel gear 14 on the driving-shaft, and at the other endabevel gear 15, meshing with a bevel gear 16 on the shaft of the die cylinder. The connections between the cam f2 and the driving-shaft comprise the bevel gear 17 on the driving-Shaft, meshing with a bevel gear 18 affixed to the shaft f. The connections between the driving-shaft and the cam f5 comprise a gear 19, affixed to the shaft f6 which supports said cam, a gear 21 (Fig. 8) meshing with the gear 19 and aftixed to a shaft 22, and gears 23 24,af1ixed respectively to the shaft 22 and thevdriving-shaft t'.

The letters may be delivered to a packing device, composed of a helical blade lo, affixed to a shaft lc', which is journaled in bearings` on the table a and may be rotated by any suitable connections with the driving-shaft,

said packing device being shown and claimed in Letters Patent already granted to me.

I claim- 1. In a stamp-canceling machine, the com'- bination of a die cylinder connected with the driving mechanism of the machine, an impression roll, a letter-conveyor, a movable letter-arresting stop standing normally in the letter path, reciprocating actuating means timed with respect to the die-cylinder, and means controlled by the passing letter for operatively connecting the said reciprocating actuating means and the movable stop whereby the latter is withdrawn from the path of the-letter.

2. In a stamp-canceling machine, the combination of a die cylinder connected with the driving mechanism of the machine, an impression roll, a letter-conveyor, a movable letter-arresting stop standing normally in the letter-path, a driver reciprocating in the direction of the letter-path, a shoe carried by said driver and reciprocating in a direction transverse to the letter-path, and connecting means between the driver and the stop which are rendered operative by the reciprocating shoe through the medium of the letter.

3. In a stamp-canceling-machine, the combination of a die cylinder connected with the driving mechanism of the machine, an impression roll movable toward and from the die-cylinder, and yieldingly actuated toward lthe same a movable letter-arresting stop Ico IIO

standing normally in the letter-path, lettercontrolled means timed with respect to the die-cylinder for withdrawing the stop from the letter-path, and connecting devices between the said means and the impression roll normally holding the latter away from the die-cylinder and when the stop is withdrawn` permitting the said roll to move -toward the die-cylinder.

4. In a stamp-canceling machine, the combination of a die cylinder, a letter conveyer, a letter stop normally in the letter path, a letter-receivin g throat having an oiset in one side at the end next the die cylinder, a shoe movable into and out of the throat, and operating mechanism therefor timed to cause said shoe to move a letter into said odset and prevent the entrance of a succeeding letter into the oiset portion of the throat until after the release of the last arrested letter, and mechanism controlled by an arrested letter1 whereby the stop is withdrawn when the` printing die reaches a predetermined point in its rotation, as set forth.

5. In a stamp-canceling machine, 4the coinbination of the die cylinder, the impression roll, the conveyer, the letter stop, the mov-` able carrier for said stop having a rib or fiange, the oscillating lever having a roll bearing continuously on one side of said rib, the letter-displacing shoe or presser, the coupling device comprising a plate arranged to be` moved by said presser only through the me` dium of an interposed letter, a trundle-roll` or stud on said motor connected with said plate and normally raised out of contact With l the rib on the stop-carrier, said roll or stud being movable into engagement with said rib by the action of a letter on said plate, and

connections between the driving shaft of the `4o machine and the said die cylinder, motor and letter presser whereby the movements of said parts are definitely timed, as set forth.

6. In a stamp-canceling machine, thecombnation of the die cylinder, the impression roll yieldingly pressed toward thedie cylinder, the conveyer, the letter stop, the movable carrier for said stop having a rib or ange, the oscillating lever having a roll bearing continuously on one side of said rib, the 5o letter-displacing shoe or presser, the coupling device comprising a plate arranged to be moved by said presser only through the medium of an interposed letter, a trundle-roll or stud on said motor connected with said plate and normally raised out ot contact with the rib on the stop carrier, said roll or. stud being movable into engagement with said rib by the action of a letter on said plate, an impression-roll-displacing device which 1s 6o caused by the stop-carrier to hold the impression roll away from the die cylinder when the letter stop is in its normal position and permits the said roll to approach the die cylinder when the stop is displaced, and connec- 6 5 tions between the driving-shaft of the machine and `the said diecylinder, motor and letter presser whereby the movements of said parts are definitely timed, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have `signed my 7o name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 18th `day ot June, A. D. 1892.

FRANK N. ETHRIDGE.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, M. W. JACKSON. 

